Various nightlights have been proposed and commonly used for providing low-level illumination of areas sufficient to enable a user to walk or move safely about an area. Nightlights are commonly used in bathrooms, and particularly hotel bathrooms, to illuminate the area, such as a floor, for people unfamiliar with the surroundings.
Lights have also been incorporated into electrical receptacles as indicators and to identify the location of the receptacle at low ambient light levels. These devices generally provide sufficient light to locate the electrical receptacle but do not provide sufficient light to illuminate the area around the electrical device.
One example of an electrical device having a light incorporated in the electrical device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,862,350 to Richter et al. This patent discloses a receptacle having a light along at least one side edge as shown in FIGS. 1 and 8. A duplex electrical device is disclosed having a light in the housing and a translucent cover coupled to the front face that is flush with the front face and adjacent the duplex user-accessible interface. The cover is disclosed as extending along the front face between each of the electrical components and between the apertures. Other embodiments include an electrical device having a translucent cover over a light where the cover extends along at least ¼ the length of the front face. Another embodiment discloses an electrical device having two translucent covers extending adjacent the buttons of each GFCI where each cover extends over the light source and the light sensor. This patent further discloses an electrical device having a housing in the form of a single gang electrical enclosure, at least one additional housing and at least one additional electrical component in the additional housing.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/0039086 to Jansen et al. discloses a GFCI receptacle having a nightlight. An electrical device has a light source to direct a peak radiation pattern along an axis and a light pipe having an angled surface. The light pipe is a lens that extends along the side edge of the receptacle as shown in FIG. 1C and has an angled surface that reflects the light through the front face as shown in FIG. 15.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,805,469 to Barton discloses an electrical device such as a switch or receptacle having a light source. The device has a power sensing and control means. This patent also discloses a method of providing safety lighting by concealing the lighting device. The method includes the steps of combining a light source with a conventional wiring device, controlling the on-off state and conveying light from the light source through a visible surface area of the wiring device by a lens or transparent material and where the device is concealed behind a standard cover plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,118,235 to Barton is a continuation-in-part of the '469 patent and discloses a lighting device having a housing with an electrical device, a light source to emit light through a visible surface of the housing and protruding through the cover plate, and a power-signal means to adjust the power level to energize the light source. The housing can have a surface area visible through a conventional cover plate window, a light source visible through the surface area, a power supply and a signal means to activate the signal means by a predetermined condition. A nightlight function is controlled by a light sensor.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,194,368 to Weeks et al. is related to U.S. Pat. No. 6,989,489 to Savicki. This patent relates to a GFCI device with a center light having a protective assembly to prevent AC power from being accessed and a light assembly covering a substantial portion of the width.
While the prior devices have generally been suitable for their intended purpose, there is a continuing need in the industry for improved lighting devices and electrical receptacles. The disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,805,469; 7,118,235; and 7,862,350 and Publication No. 2012/0039086 are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.